Although Windows Vista was hindered by multiple delays before its eventual retail release on January 30, marking more than a five-year gap since the arrival of Windows XP, Microsoft Corp has indicated that its next Windows operating system (OS) should be ready for 2010.
According to an article in the Seattle Post Intelligencer, this past Friday saw the Redmond-based software giant tentatively reveal the scheduling for "Windows 7" as it’s presently known, during a slideshow presentation at a Microsoft global sales meeting.
Following the drawn-out arrival of Vista, Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer stated that never again would so much time be utilised on developing a new Windows OS, and the company has since shuffled its Windows development division to sidestep such problems in the future.
Set to exist as a considerable timeline turnaround when measured against the speed bump evolution of Vista, Microsoft’s next front-running "full OS release" should be on retail shelves within 3 years, suggests the SPI report.
Information pertaining to the developmental scheduling of "Windows 7" has been released to sales representatives, confirmed Microsoft, in order to provide a clearer picture of the new operating system’s timeline. Microsoft also offered that current predictions see the company "scoping Windows ‘7’ development to a three-year timeframe." Though it is also worth noting that the statement outlines the official release date will be defined by "meeting the quality bar."
A projected release of 2010, if met, would see Microsoft easing the concerns of corporate and enterprise customers who, according to a recent Forrester Research report, are displaying signs of becoming wary regarding Microsoft Software Assurance renewal.
MSA contracts generally run for three years and give customers instant access to upgraded Microsoft programs upon release. However, an OS development time period of five years (as with Vista) has meant that certain upgrades have fallen outside of standard MSA coverage – something Microsoft will likely be keen to rectify through "Windows 7".
This shows (IMO) that Vista is not the "real" successor to XP, in the same sense that ME was not the "real" successor to 98.
Apparently they're going to move away from the start menu / taskbar system toward something completely different and asinine like the Office 2007 "ribbon". I think that's like ripping out the pedals and steering wheel in a car and replacing it with a joystick; you have to learn how to drive all over again.
I think they're making things way too complicated. There's nothing wrong with regular menus, 2D desktops, and windows that aren't transparent and don't fly around the screen. Hopefully Windows 7 will be sold a la carte, so you don't have to pay for extra shiny crap if you don't want, without being stuck with a crippled version of the OS. (The main off-putting problem with Vista.)
If it were to be say 3d, then we wouldn't need a kb/ms. We would need some odd input system, to cope with the extra axis.
Maybe making a more practical feature would help too. Sure the '3d flip' look good, but honeslty, who uses it? I got over it in the shop demo computer.
Ungh, go with map os!
Charlie wrote:I always wanted to try wall flips, but I'm too attached to my neck.
All this shows is that Microsoft got caught with their pants down. They spent four years working on Windows Longhorn, only to find that one year before it's release it's broken. The Vista they released is a slapped together improvement over Server 2003, a repeat of the old DOS/Windows days.
Balmer also might have noticed that Apple has a 2-3 year release for MacOS 10. So he might be thing that if it works for Apple, it might work for Microsoft. Even though Microsoft can do no wrong and knows what it's customers want.
vskid wrote:Nerd = likes school, does all their homework, dies if they don't get 100% on every assignment
Geek = likes technology, dies if the power goes out and his UPS dies too
